HOMICIDAL: “Stone-cold dead” DeSantis refuses to back down
Shooting people while they’re wearing backpacks has become all too common in the United States, but Ron DeSantis may be the first to openly imply that the backpack itself is evidence of criminality.
DeSantis has indicated that anyone crossing the border between the U.S. and Mexico while wearing a backpack would be shot on sight, has conflated crossing into the country with breaking into someone’s house, and has proposed launching missiles into Mexico, all in addition to his co-opting of Donald Trump’s 2016 promise to “build the wall” and make Mexico pay the price.
In fact, when pressed to explain how border forces under his hypothetical presidency would know whether backpacks were full of personal possessions or smuggled contraband, DeSantis produced a big bowl of word salad about fentanyl, rules of engagement, and cartel lookouts.
The Florida Governor isn’t backtracking, but he doesn’t seem to be able to offer any legitimate defense of his plan, either.
It’s the shooting-on-sight that has really garnered attention, though, especially with the focus on backpacks, a common and convenient way for a traveler to transport books, clothing, and other personal belongings. It’s especially evocative in an America where bulletproof backpacks are now on offer for schoolchildren.
DeSantis couldn’t say how a border agent might look at an individual and determine whether a backpack was loaded with clothing and food, or illegal drugs, but he seemed certain that just a few shootings will solve the problem. He said (clip below):
“It’s typical how you would have, with military or law enforcement, you define rules of engagement, they positively identify someone who’s hostile, they engage. We are going to engage…We’re gonna stop the invasion…You have to make those judgments…Once you show the willingness to actually take this threat seriously, you are gonna change their behavior.”
Though DeSantis claims this would rely on intelligence and other observations to determine who is “hostile,” he’s already defined hostile in his own terms, back in June, when he indicated anyone crossing onto U.S. soil fit the definition. NBCreported at the time:
“You’re already on U.S. soil once…you get through the wall,” he told NBC News. “You have hostile intent, because you’re obviously running drugs. You absolutely can use deadly force. I mean, think about it. If you were trying to do that — if you were to go to some Texas rancher’s property, break into their house, they’re going to respond.”
Merely crossing into the U.S. is an incredibly low bar for hostile intent, but DeSantis implies that that single step is evidence of drug smuggling.
Ironically, he has previously, perhaps unwittingly, admitted that a border wall won’t stop entry, when he promoted his shoot-backpack-holders-on-sight plan. He described people breaking through the wall, carrying backpacks, and promised that under his leadership, that would be their last act. He said (clip below):
“If you have somebody coming in with fentanyl in the backpack…that’s the last thing they’re going to be able to do, because we’re gonna leave them stone-cold dead at the border.”
In the clips below, DeSantis defends opposing refugees from Gaza, and tries to defend his shoot-on-sight proposal.
"How do you know what's in the backpack?" — Brennan grills DeSantis on his position that people crossing the southern border with backpacks should be shot pic.twitter.com/AKnZa4gZyL
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 15, 2023
In this August clip, DeSantis assures us he’d support shooting anyone who came through the wall with a backpack.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) gets applause for wanting to authorize deadly force against smugglers:
“If you have somebody coming in with fentanyl in the backpack…that's the last thing they're going to be able to do, because we're gonna leave them stone-cold dead at the border.” pic.twitter.com/Pz6K9hGkvg
— The Recount (@therecount) August 18, 2023
So far, there is no word on whether those traveling with roller bags or fanny packs will be subject to the same murderous targeting on behalf of DeSantis if he ever rises to a position where he can implement his homicidal fantasies.
